City Hall  
City of Harrisonburg  
409 South Main Street  
Harrisonburg, VA 22801  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Planning Commission  
Tuesday, June 16, 2026  
6:00 PM  
City Hall, Room 011  
1.  
Call To Order  
The Harrisonburg Planning Commission held a work session for the Zoning Ordinance Update  
Project on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in Room 011 at City Hall, 409 South Main  
Street.  
2.  
Roll Call/Determination of Quorum  
Members present: Richard Baugh, Chair; Heja Alsindi; KC Kettler; Rob Jezior; and Randy Seitz.  
Shannon Porter, Vice Chair and Laura Dent, Councilmember joined the meeting late. Also  
present: Thanh Dang, Deputy Director of Community Development; Wesley Russ, Deputy City  
Attorney; Michael Parks, Director of Communications and Public Engagement; Tyler Blanks,  
Zoning Administrator; Nyrma Soffel, Planner; and Meg Rupkey, Planner.  
7 -  
Present  
Richard Baugh, City Council Representative Laura Dent, Heja Alsindi, Shannon  
Porter , Kenneth Kettler , Randall Seitz, and Stanley Jezior  
3.  
Presentations  
3.a.  
Presentation on the Communications and Public Engagement Plan for the Zoning  
Ordinance Update Project  
Mr. Parks presented an overview of the communications and public engagement plan for the  
Zoning Ordinance Update Project. He asked Planning Commissioners to keep in mind that  
communications strategies evolve as we continue working with the community and learn more.  
He presented the goals of public engagement for the Zoning Ordinance Update Project are to:  
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Educate the community on the different aspects of the Zoning Ordinance Update Project.  
For the initial engagement period (summer 2026 to end of 2026) those include:  
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What is Zoning?  
Proposed new Zoning Districts and what does the map look like  
Proposed reductions to residential lot area requirements and setbacks  
Proposed streamlining of development and review procedures (simplified  
townhome development review process; consolidated commercial parking  
requirements)  
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Proposed Neighborhood Commercial district for neighborhood-scale businesses  
What comes next, including introducing the future update to the Comprehensive  
Plan  
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Create Avenues for Feedback and Encourage Input.  
Show community members how their feedback is being incorporated into the ordinance  
and future efforts such as the Comprehensive Plan update and beyond.  
Proposed strategies include:  
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Educating the community about the Zoning Ordinance Update Project by breaking the  
complex issue into multiple, easier-to-understand pieces and making sure different  
audiences have the opportunity to learn and engage on as many of these topics (or others  
they are interested in) as they wish.  
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Creating avenues for community members to provide feedback about these multiple areas  
of interest in person and virtually to ensure once they learn more about the update they  
can speak to their reactions/needs.  
Highlighting how input received was incorporated into the project when presenting the  
next update to City Council and through our website so the public can see what actions  
their feedback led to.  
Proposed tactics and activities include:  
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Holding Planning Commission work sessions beginning in June 2026 through the summer  
to receive feedback and input from Commissioners.  
Holding a series of 2 public meetings in different locations around the community with  
multiple tables focused on individual parts of the update project.  
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Hosting Mini-pop-ups with different audiences.  
Considering a “stakeholder” meeting that is invite-only for advocates who we know will  
have extensive feedback we want to make sure we capture.  
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Creating a detailed website that mimics public meetings by breaking the project down into  
pieces. Include forms for each piece where people can provide input.  
Creating social media about the pieces of the project to encourage people to visit website  
& provide input.  
Considering a virtual meeting for people who can’t attend public meetings but want to  
speak with someone.  
Coordinating with media for stories about the update project, what it covers, and how the  
community can take part.  
Creating visuals for City Hall in the lobby or outside Community Development that  
highlights parts of the plan and leaves an avenue for people to drop off input or come into  
the office and speak with staffer.  
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Creating a document that can be mailed to homes and businesses with more information  
on how to get involved.  
Promoting and use the project email list (Constant Contact). This will be a way for  
community members to receive updates.  
Note that Vice Chair Porter joined the meeting at 6:05pm.  
Discussion took place regarding Planning Commissioner’s questions and comments:  
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When are we going to consider larger substantive changes? Staff responded that it will be  
after the 2026 work. Additionally, there will be a table at public meetings dedicated to  
“What comes next?” where we will collect ideas for future steps.  
The importance of educating people on “Why zoning?” and “What’s the impact of  
zoning?”  
Review and discuss portions of draft Zoning Ordinance text and draft Zoning Map  
3.b.  
Mr. Russ reviewed relevant bills passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 2026 that impact this  
project:  
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§15.2-2247 and 15.2-2290 of the Code of Virginia, relating to zoning; manufactured  
housing. (Effective July 1, 2026)  
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§15.2-2286.2, relating to small lot residential zoning district. (Effective July 1, 2026)  
§15.2-2292.3, relating to zoning; development and use of accessory dwelling units.  
(Effective July 1, 2027)  
Discussion took place regarding Planning Commissioner’s questions and comments:  
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How are the Virginia Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Law in  
sync with the HUD standards? Staff will look into this and report back.  
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§15.2-2201 <https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/15.2-2201/> and 15.2-2286  
<https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/15.2-2286/> of the Code of Virginia and to amend the  
Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 15.2-2288.9  
<https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/15.2-2288.9/>, relating to affordable housing; religious  
organizations and other nonprofit tax-exempt properties.  
Note that Councilmember Dent joined the meeting at 6:22pm.  
The group reviewed questions that were received in advance from Planning Commissioners  
regarding draft Article B. Zoning Districts and District Standard and a portion of draft Article C.  
Use Regulations (only residential districts included), and the draft Zoning Map. Discussion took  
place regarding:  
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The addition of the Flexible Residential District in response to requirements of recent  
amendments to State Code §15.2-2286.2.  
Reviewed definitions of “duplex,” “single-family attached,” and “townhomes” and  
minimum lot widths.  
Garden Communities District’s proposed minimum lot area is the same as current R-3  
district. Staff is not proposing a higher density because the Comprehensive Plan prioritizes  
single-family detached homes and duplexes for sale, and staff prioritized not opening the  
door for wholesale redevelopment until we have created regulations that would not just  
reproduce the existing car-centric pattern.  
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How do we navigate the need for more housing and also the desire for more single-family  
detached homes?  
In other communities, narrow lots typically rely on rear alleys. Alleys provide  
opportunities for rear parking, which reduces conflict points in the front, along public  
streets. But who is responsible for maintenance of the alleys?  
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Properties that are conditionally zoned (proffers), will maintain their existing entitlements  
and proffers.  
When a property owner proposes to create new lots, staff proposes that commercially  
zoned properties that have at least 200-feet of frontage must have a shared access plan  
for how the lots will share driveways. This will help with entrance spacing and access  
management.  
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Neighborhood Commercial and Mixed Use Neighborhood/Urban Village will require  
special use permits for auto-centric uses.  
Neighborhood Commercial district will allow some residential, such as an apartment  
upstairs. Staff are still working through whether this will be by right or by special use  
permit.  
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Minimum side yard setbacks.  
Building and parking placement downtown. Proposed regulations would prohibit parking  
lots between buildings and public streets in downtown.  
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Historic preservation, historic overlay district, architectural review board, style books, or  
other regulations and guidance for downtown. These topics will be discussed more later in  
future phases.  
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Parking requirements in downtown.  
How Zoning Ordinances change over time.  
How and should the City take a more active role to fund or build infrastructure to support  
new housing construction?  
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Why are we not doing more reform like eliminating single-family zoning, parking  
requirements, single room occupancy, a housing trust fund, and inclusionary zoning like  
Charlottesville?  
What are other communities we should look to? Blacksburg, Winchester, Lynchburg,  
Auburn University.  
4.  
5.  
Other Matters  
None.  
Adjourment  
The meeting adjourned at 8:30pm.  
INTERPRETATION SERVICES  
Language interpretation service in Spanish, Arabic and Kurdish is available for Planning  
Commission meetings. To ensure that interpreters are available at the meeting, interested  
persons must request the accommodation at least four (4) calendar days in advance of the  
meeting by contacting the City Clerk at (540) 432-7701 or by submitting a request online at:  
www.harrisonburgva.gov/interpreter-request-form  
El servicio de intérpretes inglés-español está disponible para las reuniones públicas de la  
Comisión de Planificación. Para asegurar la disponibilidad de intérpretes, cualquier  
interesado deberá solicitar la presencia de un intérprete al menos cuatro (4) días calendarios  
antes de la reunión comunicándose con la Secretaría Municipal al (540) 432-7701 o por  
medio de la página por internet al:  
https://www.harrisonburgva.gov/interpreter-request-form  
NOTE TO THE PUBLIC  
Anyone interested may attend the meeting; however, no public comment will be received. The  
meeting will be recorded and will be posted online after the meeting.  
Staff will be available at 4:00 p.m. on the Tuesday before the next Planning Commission  
meeting for those interested in going on a field trip to view the sites on the next agenda.